Decorated fabric and method and means for making the same



Dec. 28, 1937. N. c. THACKERAY' 2,103,992

DECORATED FABRIC AND METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed May 9, 1934 INVENTOR Norman C. Thackeray ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 28 1937 15.5 PATENT OFFICE DECORATED .FABRIC AND METHOD i MEANS FOR MAKING THE. SAIWE Na es 0. Thackeray, Providence, 1., assignor to Decorative Fabrics Company, a corporation of Rhode Island l Amp tation May 9, 1934, Serial No. {724,683

r 4 Claims. (01. 101-415) ciland a rotarybelt-like-blanket synchronously V driven. The fabric to be decorated is carried by the blanket and the traveling stencil bears on the'moving fabric so that adoctor blade can force adhesive through the stencil. onto the fabric. After the fabric has been thustreated; it is passed into a flock beating machine where the flock is applied so that it sticksin the adhesive. The goods are then passed into a heatedchamber and aged until such time as the flock printing is dried after whichit' is taken out and brushed to produce flock printed fabric of a single color.

Inasmuch as the flock in the flock beating machine is thoroughly agitated, the same type of flock will be applied to the cloth and the color andcharacter of the flock printing decoration produced will be uniformat all points where the adhesive hasbeen applied. It is, therefore, impossible in the formerprocess to obtain multiple color effects in the flock'printed decoration. But

applicant uses this old mode of operation to the extent of producing flock-printed fabric of a single color. Applicants important addition to the process is to make possible the printing of designs of variegated color onxa single fabric.

Applicant is the firstto make a. decorated fabric in a plurality of colors by the usenof a transparent stencil in flock printing, as hereinafter described. The transparency of the stencil is necessary in getting an accurate registration of ,a design with a plurality of colored flocks. Two colors, or more, of flocks registered have never been accomplished before. When a fabric is' first flock-printed in one design in one color, and then overprinted in a second operation in a different design and color, to give a second color effect,

it is a hit-or-miss idea unregistered and is not applicants method.

The present invention contemplates the making of. decorated fabric by a flock printing process so that a decoration of two or more colors may be had, thereby providing a fabric with much fabric is then dried and brushed as usual and is thensubjected to one or more flock printing operations whereby one or more colors or types of flock are printed onto thefabric.

.The presentinvention also contemplates the makingof flock printed fabric having a plurality of colors wherein the designs are such that the printing'produced byone color bears a relation to the printing producedIby another color'so that multiple colored motifs may be produced in the fabric}. 1 x

Other and further objects of theinvention will 7 be apparent as the description proceeds.

The accompanying drawing shows for purposes of illustrating the'present invention a form of. machine for producing multiple color printed fabric and illustrates fabric produced thereby, it

1 being understood that the drawing is illustrative of' the invention instead of limiting the same. In the drawing: Figure 1 is diagrammatic, sideelevationalview of a printing machine;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic, top plan the same; and Figure 3 indicates a multiple colored flock printed motif. A roll of flock printed fabric is indicated at view of J0. 'It may have a single color flock printed design ofv any type such, for example, as the petals of a flower as indicated at II. This fabric has been previously passed over a stentering frame in order to get the design absolutely straight across the goods from selvage to selvage.

A blanket-is indicated at l2. This blanket is-carried about two drums I3 and M, the drum [4 being turned in a counterclockwise direction by any suitable means such as the hand crank iii. The belt l2 passes above a suitable support ortable l6. 7

A transparent stencil is indicated at IT. This stencil bears some form of marking which has a definite relation to the design previously printed on the fabric. For example, if the originaldesign were the petals of a flower, the transparent stencil might have holes or other marks as indi-. cated at l8 which were spaced the same as the centers of the 'fiowers. The fabric I0 is passed above a suitable support IS on which it can be laid out flat. It then extends under the transparent stencil "where it may be manipulated by hand to place the previously printed ornamentation in the desired relation to the transparent stencil. This places the fabric in the desired position on the blanket [2. It will be seen from the drawing that the stencil ll has a definite fixed position against the guides at the left, and the fabric is manipulated, by hand, under this stencil to bring the previously printed design into registry with the marks on the stencil.

The fabric is then advanced a predetermined amount, corresponding to the repeat distance of the design, by moving the blanket forward to the next stopping point, (which has been indicated by stops adjacent to reference character I2) as by using hand-crank l5. This distance is determined by hand mechanism not shown in the drawing. The blanket with the adjusted fabric will then be moved from the right toward the left and carried out from under the transparent stencil or guide I! and brought into anew position where one can place and adjust by hand a copper stencil, such as indicated at 20, on too of the fabric in the new position, properly to bring the holes therein 2| exactly over, the centers of the petals previously flock printed on the fabric. The copper, or other metal, stencil is held down onto the fabric by a spring-pressed doctor blade 22 which acts to scrape the adhesive along the upper surface of said stencil when the blanket is moved to the left, the blanket carrying the fabric and the said stencil along with it. The doctor blade will force the adhesive through the openings in the metal stencil onto the fabric. The fabric passes into a flock-beating machine indicated at 23 where the desired color of flock is present, which latter is caused to adhere to the fabric at the points where the adhesive has been applied. The fabric is then dried and brushed in the usual way, and if a third color is to be placed on the fabric, it is again passed through a tentering frame, rewound, and the process repeated using such stencils as may be required.

Figure 3 illustrates a circular design having an outer circle of dots A which may be of one color, an inner circle of dots B which may be another color and the! center circle of dots Cwhich may be a third color.

Fabrics which have been decorated as contemplated by the present invention may have an exceedingly wide variety of ornamental designs. They are capable of much wider use than the single color flock. printed designs heretofore available. The same set of stencils may be used in printing various colors and obtaining various effects by either changing a color used with this particular stencil or by varying the type of fabric used as a base for the printing.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions 'and I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of the many'forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of decorating fabric which comprises flock printing a design onto the fabric, registering the printed design by hand adjustment with a transparent guide, substituting therefor a metal stencil with a different design having a predetermined relation to the former design without disturbing the relative positions of the threads of the fabric, applying adhesive through the second or metal stencil, then applying to the fabric bearing the adhesive a shower of flock so that-the second design is flock printed thereon.

2. The method of decorating fabric, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric is supported on a movable blanket when under the guide and stencil, and the blanket and said second or metal stencil (as in claim 1) are moved together so as to avoid slippage between, the fabric and stencil.

3. A machine for flock printing a second design on fabric having a first flock-printed design already thereon, comprising a support for the printed fabric, a transparent guide or stencil overlying the fabric on the support and bearing a replica of said design whereby the fabric may be shifted so that the printed design and said transparent guide or stencil may be brought into registry, a metal stencil havinga second design, both stencils being capable of adjustment by hand'with the fabric so that the stencil positions bear a predetermined relation to the fabric, a doctor blade for forcing adhesive through the metal stencil onto the fabric, and a flock-beating ma'chine'to'receive the stencilled fabric.

4. A machine for flock-printing a second design on fabric having a first flock-printed design already thereon, comprising an intermittently movable blanket adapted to support a web of fabric, a transparent guide or" stencil disposed in a predetermined position by hand adjustment over a portion of the web on the support and bearing a replica of said design whereby the fabric may be shifted by hand to bring the printed design and transparent guide or stencil into registry, a metal stencil disposed in a predetermined position relative to said transparent guide or stencil and resting on an adjacent portion of the web, means permittingrno'vement of the blanket and web of fabric without distorting the fabric to bring the fabric registered with the transparent guide under the metal stencil and registered therewith, a doctor blade to force adhesive through the metal stencil onto the fabric, and a flock-beating machine to receive the stemciled fabric. a

NORMAN C. THACKERAY. 

